Gate-fastener.



J. H. TSGHI'RLEY- GATE FASTENEE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2a, 1908.

wwenfoz Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the fastener UNTTE STATES PATENT FFTGE.

JOHN HERMAN TSCHIRLEY, 0F ARMOUR, SOUTH DAKOTA.

GATE-FASTENER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN HERMAN Tsonrn- LEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Armour, in the county of Douglas and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gate fasteners, and has for its object to construct such a device that live stock cannot disengage.

Another object is to form a fastener that will draw the gate closely to the post and thereby hold the same more securely in closed position.

A further object is to construct a device of this character that will be easy of operation and be readily attached to any ordinary gate post.

The invention has for a still further object the provision of a device of this character which will be simple in construction; and durable and that can be manufactured at a minimum cost thereby making it more acceptable to the general public than devices of this character heretofore used.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and it will be understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims and that any suitable materials may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective of the fastener detached from a post, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a gate post and end of a gate with the device applied in a locked position,

in an open position, Fig. is a top plan view of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, 10 designates a yoke which is formed of a strip of sheet metal and which is apertured at its ends as at 11. The apertures 11 in the ends of the yoke 10 are engaged by pivots 12 which secure said ends ivotally to the intermediate portion of the ever 13. The lever 13 comprises a substantially U shaped member formed of a strip of sheet metal. The yoke 10 is provided with a plurality of apertures 14 formed in its outer l Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

Serial No. 434,628.

end by means of which the yoke is adjustably secured to the lever 13. The lever 13 is pivotally mounted upon the gate post 15 by a nail 16 or any other pivotal connection convenient. The ends of the U shaped member 13 are then curved outwardly and upwardly to form hooks or engaging members 17.

When the device is to be applied to a gate the lever 13 is pivotally connected to the upper end of a post 15. The apertures 14 are provided for adjustment of the device for use uith posts of various sizes, and to fasten a gate more rigidly when desired. The yoke 10 is pivoted intermediate of the lever 13 by the pivots 12 secured in apertures 11 and is so disposed as to extend inwardly of the post 15 to engage loosely around the post 18 carried at the end of the gate 19. Loose engagement betu een the yoke 10 and the post 18 exists only when the lever 13 is raised into a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 3. When the horizontally stringing gate 19 is brought into the plane of the fence, the yoke 10 must necessarily be raised to admit of the post 18 being positioned underneath the said yoke 10. The yoke 10 is then dropped over the top of the post 18 encircling the same. The lever 13 is drawn downward below the horizontal on the opposite side of the post 15, to which it is pivoted, to that side from which the yoke 10 extends. As the lever 13 is pivoted at 14 the ivot point 11 of the yoke 10 will be drawn ackward causing the retracting of the yoke 10. This retracting or shortening of the yoke 10 causes the post 18 to be drawn towards the post 15 and the yoke 10 binds hard on the upper end of the post 18.

It will be found that a fastener of this structure cannot be released by the rubbing of live stock when trying to become loosed from the inclosure. The hooks or engaging members 17 are adapted to engage the under edge of the yoke 10 when the lever 13 is drawn into the horizontal.

What is claimed is:

1. A fastener comprising a U shaped lever, hooks formed at the ends of said lever, pivots formed on said lever in juxtaposition to said hooks and a yoke, the ends of said yoke being pivotally connected intermediately of the ends of said lever.

2. A. fastener comprising a yoke, a lever pivoted to said yoke, said lever being U she ed and hooks formed upon said lever, sai hooks being formed by bending the ends of the lever upon themselves at ri ht angles, the extremities of said bent ends eing outwardly and rearwardly curved substantially as described.

JOHN HERMAN T'SCHIRLEY.

Witnesses:

WILHELM ENsMINGER, PETER VANDER WERP. 

